About Bula Kava House

Bula is a Fijian word with many uses. It is a greeting, but also can mean "life" or "to live". Fijians use it in place of "cheers" before drinking kava. So bula, everyone, and welcome to the Bula Kava House online store, where we sell some of the freshest kava root available to the U.S. market. Please visit our FAQs page or contact us if you have any questions.

The Kava Experience

Kava or kava-kava (Piper methysticum) is consumed for medicinal, religious, political, cultural and social purposes throughout the islands of the South Pacific. A shrub that thrives in loose, well-drained soils where plenty of air can reach the roots, kava plants are typically harvested at 3-4 years of age. Pacific Islanders have consumed kava root tea for over 3,000 years. We invite you to experience the tradition for yourself.

As time has progressed so have the techniques used to make this sacred island drink. We want you to be able to experience the best kava available. At Bula Kava House we strive to make the highest quality kava available to the kava community and consumers all over the world. We are also committed to testing the kava we receive from growers and suppliers in order to label every product we sell accurately. Please read our Kava Testing Policy for more information.

Before I get ahead of myself though, I'd like to tell you a bit about how we got here:

Judd’s Story

In 2007 my work as a scuba instructor brought me to the Big Island of Hawaii, where my coworkers constantly touted the product and environment provided at what was simply known as "The Kava Bar". I had no idea what kava or a kava bar was at the time but it wasn't long before I tagged along to check it out. What I found was a small, mostly outdoor establishment built with hardwoods with seating for no more than 15 people. At wooden community tables everyone drank from coconut shells filled with a murky liquid.

Before I knew it one of these shells was passed to me. I was told to clap once in unison with other drinkers, chug the entire shell, then clap twice when finished. The taste was earthy, and I don't mean like dirt. I mean the dirt, roots, rocks, weeds, grass, many things natural combined. Not tasty enough to sip, but not bad enough to keep me from drinking more.

After two or three more shells I noticed that my mind was at ease and my muscles, after a long day of lifting scuba tanks, had relaxed to a very mushy state. The feeling was a bit like being slightly drunk without the loss of mental cognition that accompanies excessive alcohol use. I then knew that this is why my co-workers spent so much time at The Kava Bar.

To make a long story short I immediately knew that a kava bar would be a fantastic addition to my hometown of Portland, Oregon. Look, I like a good beer as much as the next guy but it's nice to have options. Kava makes for a safe alternative to alcohol and other intoxicants, and I figured a Pacific Northwest kava bar would be a great place to come socialize or use something that has been used medicinally to treat pain, insomnia, and anxiety for thousands of years.

After over two years of searching for the world's best kava, finding the perfect location, and finally making that location a beautiful oasis for kava enjoyment Bula Kava House began serving kava to the good people of Portland, Oregon on March 22nd, 2011. At Bula Kava House we make traditionally prepared kava that comes straight from all over the South Pacific.

Now, with our online store, you don't need to live in Portland to enjoy what thousands of happy visitors to our kava bar already have. We provide the highest quality variety of ground kava root products, fresh from Vanuatu and other islands in the South Pacific. Our growers and suppliers grow and harvest great kava kava. We have it tested independently to ensure quality and accuracy in our labeling.

We ship to the U.S. and many other countries from our home base in Portland, Oregon via USPS. We’re maniacal about customer service. You're just clicks away from owning all you need to drink top notch kava at home. Buy kava online here, you'll be happy you did. Enjoy!